Tag: Recruiting

While it may still be the off-season for Ohio’s basketball teams, Athens still found a way to make it into a recent top 10 article by ESPN, albeit for something other than legendary parties.

In a nice twist to the typical “Top 10 colleges for recruits to visit,” ESPN blogger Dana O’Neil determines how much college campuses, instead of the programs themselves, influence college recruits. One of Ohio’s biggest strengths and talking points is the location and the campus. When OU is talked about, it is usually related to two things, parties and a beautiful campus. Fall in Athens produces some of the most picturesque landscapes of what a college town should look like. If I was a recruit who didn’t mind the status of my program, it would be hard to turn away.

O’Neil had this to say about Ohio,

“The school’s spring celebrations known as Fests, are so popular they have their own Twitter handle…plus Court Street, which includes 20-plus bars,” O’Neil wrote, “the folks of Athens, Ohio have this fun thing down.”

That is something everyone can agree on. Athens knows how to have a good time, even if it is mostly fueled by our 20-plus bars.

O’Neil also had some comments about our Bobcats, which accurately reflect the current status of our men on the hardwood,

“The Bobcats are a lot like their campus-sort of an under-the-radar gem…but with one good coach begetting the next (Saul Phillips is the latest) they have the potential to gear up for another Cinderella season at any time,” O’Neil said.

While a couple of key losses from last year’s team may get in the way of any Bobcat runs for the time being, coach Saul Phillips will continue to rebuild this team and return it to the NCAA tournament in the spring.